Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 8: A local court rejected the bail plea of two accused persons involved in having procured large quantities of drugs by using fake drug licenses.
The court of Special Judge (NDPS) cases Srinagar presided over by Vinod Kumar has dismissed the separate bail application of Rameez Yousuf Dar of Nowgam Srinagar and Owais Amin Bhat of Rawalpora, Srinagar for procuring large quantity of codeine Phosphate based syrup by using fake and forged licenses.
Observing that the fight against drug abuse outweighs individual liberties and the larger public interest in curbing the drug menace is paramount, as highlighted in surveys showing an alarming rise in substance abuse among youth, the court denied them bail.
“This court cannot grant liberty to an accused against whom there is a prima facie case, merely on personal grounds, when the gravity of the statute demands otherwise. The court sympathizes with the family circumstances of the accused, humanitarian grounds cannot override statutory provisions, particularly in cases involving commercial quantities of narcotic drugs”, read the judgment
The court further stressed that the legislative intent behind Section 37 of the NDPS Act is clear: to effectively curb drug trafficking. This intent must be duly considered when deciding bail pleas in such cases.
“Considering the purpose behind the enactment of the NDPS Act to tackle the growing menace of drug peddling and illegal possession and its devastating impact on society, especially youth, as well as the rising crime rate, the nature and seriousness of the allegations, the character of the evidence, and circumstances specific to the accused, I am of the opinion that no valid ground has been made out for granting bail,” the court said.
As per the FIR on February 8, 2022, Police Station Batamaloo received credible information that a suspicious consignment had arrived at a transport company located at Tengpora Bypass. The consignment, addressed to ‘Sikander Pharma, Muslim Abad, NR Colony Bemina’ was suspected to contain a large quantity of contraband substances intended to drive youth into drug addiction.
During investigation it came to fore that Sikander pharma company is neither located in Muslim Abad NR Colony Bemina area nor it exists in anywhere, which indicates that a particular person has managed to prepare fake and forged documents in the name and style of M/S Sikander Pharma for purchasing and selling of contraband substances illegally among the youths.
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